Yet another Mesa/Boogie amp to recently arrive on my doorstep... the Lone Star Special head. Both the Lone Star and Lone Star Special offer similar features (2 channel preamp with additional "drive" stage on the second channel, footswitchable solo boost, spring reverb with bright/warm voicing switch, FX loop, etc.). The primary difference is that the Lone Star has a 6L6-based power section, while the Lone Star Special has an EL84-based power section. Each channel can be independently set to 5 watt (single-ended class A with tube rectifier), 15 watt (class A with tube rectifier), or 30 watt (class A with solid state rectifier) operation. In the grand scheme of Mesa's, still relatively simple (only 2 channels!), easy to dial in (no shared EQ), and chock full of vintage tones.
I've got the first channel dialed in for a "pushed" clean tone, largely inspired by my Vox AC30CCH head's normal channel (with brilliance switch engaged). The second channel has the additional drive stage engaged for a fat, warm solo tone. In theory the amp takes pedals quite well, though I haven't tried it yet... I've got both a Sparkle Drive and BBE Freq Boost that I'm anxious to audition with the LSS.
Here's a short video that puts the Lone Star Special through it's paces with a G&L ASAT Classic. Only downside is that there's no reverb on the track as the original tank was damaged in shipment (it's since been replaced, but took a few weeks for the replacement part to come in).
"Turn & Run" by Conundrum:
And, finally, here's the Lone Star Special on top of "Mesa Mountain"...
Next up, clips of the Stiletto Ace, Mark Five, Roadster, and maybe even a couple non-Mesa amps...
The most recent amp to join the ranks is a Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne head. The Electra Dyne is one of the newer Mesa models and represents a departure from some of the more complex designs of recent years (such as the Mark Five and Road King). The Electra Dyne has 3 channels (clean, vintage LO, and vintage HI), a 90 watt (switchable down to 45 watts) SimulClass power section driven by four 6L6's, spring reverb, FX loop, and that's about it. :) Compared to other models, both the front and back panels look a bit "stark"... all three channels share a common set of volume / tone / master controls. The controls, however, used "ganged" pots that allow for different tapers in each mode, making it relatively easy to find settings that work well across all three channels. (Having owned a handful of amps with shared EQ controls--Mark III, Mark IV, TOL100, etc.--over the years, I will say this is the first time I've not felt seriously compromised by shared controls across multiple channels.)
Sonically, the Electra Dyne claims to have American-voiced cleans and British-inspired distortions. I would agree with that assessment, though I'd say the Electra Dyne sounds more like an Orange amp than the typical British contenders (e.g., Vox, Marshall). Setting the volume (i.e., gain) around 3:00 delivered a perfect blend of clean, crunch, and smooth lead tones--there's plenty of gain on tap for hard rock, though not quite as much as the Mark or Recto series amps. Honestly, this amp's been a shocker... I expected good tone, but didn't expect it to be so easy to dial in. As such, I expect it will see its fair share of use in the studio and on the stage due to its relative simplicity.
So if you want to check out the Electra Dyne's tone, here are a couple of videos that show how the amp sounds in the context of a couple of recordings...
"Perspective" by Conundrum:
"This Way for Good" by Conundrum:
And, of course, here's the latest picture of "Mesa Mountain"...
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